Bluesky has a lot going for it right now. One of those perks is the site is entirely free to join and use. There’s nothing locked behind a paywall that separates paying users from others: What you see is what you get.
However, the times may be a-changin’. As reported by TechCrunch, Bluesky is actively working on a subscription model for its platform, currently called “Bluesky+.” This isn’t necessarily breaking news: Back in October, the company revealed plans to offer paid subscriptions to users, while promising a free experience would always be available. What is new, however, are the pricing plans for this subscription model, as well as the features you’ll get if you choose to pay.
What might a Bluesky+ subscription get you?
The company posted a mockup of a subscription offer page it might show users interested in Bluesky+. Going off this screenshot, paid users could enjoy the following perks:
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Bluesky+ profile badge
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Custom app icons
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Profile customizations
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Higher video upload limits
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High quality video resolution
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Inline post translation (coming soon)
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Post analytics (coming soon)
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Bookmark folders (coming soon)
One Bluesky developer responded to a post about the mockup warning users that these features might not “match what will be released.” However, Bluesky has previously discussed offering features like higher quality videos and profile customization (like custom colors and frames for profile pictures) for a theoretical paid subscription, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see some (or all) of these features launch with Bluesky+.
Items labeled (coming soon) aren’t actually delayed, either: None of these features are available yet, so these final three aren’t going to necessarily take any longer to ship than the others. Bluesky developers simply wanted to test out the “coming soon” banner.
Don’t be put off by Bluedsky+ “profile badge,” either. The same developer confirmed these badges have nothing to do with verification. Bluesky won’t be following X’s horrible example, which gives anyone with a subscription a badge—rendering them useless for actual account verification.
How much could a Bluesky+ subscription be?
In another mockup, Bluesky+ is offered as one of two different subscriptions: You can spent $8 per month, or $72 per year, which would save $24 versus subscribing monthly for a year.
Again, none of this is set in stone, and could change dramatically by the time the company is ready to roll out Bluesky+. But it gives a good idea of what the company—or certain parts of the company, anyway—are thinking at this time.
